The popularity and usage of mobile devices and more specifically smartphone devices have grown rapidly over the past decade. Mobile phones were first introduced as a luxury item for the few people able to afford them, but have since grown into a mass-produced mobile smartphone device that has become more affordable and readily available to nearly anyone.
Initially, the sole purpose of a mobile cell phone was to conduct a phone call, but it has significantly evolved over time to become a feature-rich mobile smartphone device capable of performing a myriad of technological operations. Today's smartphone devices possess advance technology and significant memory capacity allowing them to function with increased processing speed and function as a mini-computer with a variety of software applications.
Some of these applications include operating not only as a mobile phone and texting device, but also as an emailing device, Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system, internet browser, digital spreadsheet, word processor, audio player, video player, gaming device, calculator, digital camera, and various other innovative mobile applications frequently being developed.
As the value-added features of mobile smartphone devices have progressively evolved, the importance of having a smartphone close at hand for convenient access has increased. Depending on the user need, smartphone applications are becoming vital for important functional operations, especially as smartphone features continue to advance. This is particularly true as smartphones are now needed more often inside of a vehicle. For some operations, they must be in close proximity to the user, be safely accessible, and have unobstructed viewing. For example, when using the Global Positioning System (GPS) feature of a smartphone inside a vehicle, users require direct, unobstructed viewing of the smartphone screen for visual guidance and the ability to clearly hear its turn-by-turn audio instructions to safely arrive at their desired destination. Without a safe way to secure the smartphone device in a vehicle, drivers tend to often dangerously hold the mobile phone in their hand during use, or alternatively, attempt to unsuccessfully secure it in a location that hazardously allows the mobile phone to slide around freely. This can cause a dangerous situation as drivers may divert their attention from the road ahead attempting to locate the phone, sometimes causing unpredictable car motions in an attempt to recover it. To help avoid a situation such as this, it is helpful to mount the mobile device in a secure location with easy and safe access, and also with unobstructed viewing.
Additionally, as a safety concern, many regulatory bodies are requiring hands-free use of mobile phones in a car, which is especially important if a user is using their smartphone to converse with someone. Having the phone mounted in a secure close-proximity location allows the user to speak and hear more clearly with the other party when using the speakerphone option available on nearly all mobile phones. Having a mobile phone mounted in close proximity to the user would also enable the user to more easily use the speakerphone feature or a separate corded earpiece and microphone without significant cord length limitations, allowing hand-free use. A secure and close proximity mounting of the phone also allows the user to visually screen callers before answering, and to easily accept calls or disconnect calls as needed.
There are various phone car mounts on the market that can hold a mobile device inside a vehicle. However, most car phone mounts are either too bulky, or do not effectively secure a phone, or require significant surface space to mount, or are difficult to install, or do not easily release the phone, or are difficult to latch or unlatch a phone with one hand, or are mounted in a far-reaching window position, or are mounted in an awkward viewing position, or are costly to purchase for temporary use, or a combination thereof.
Additionally, most vehicle consoles today are tightly fitted with various knobs, displays, switches, and other protruding or depressed compartments, leaving little for mounting additional accessories, such as a phone car mount. This is especially true for most phone mount bases, as they typically have a medium to large size base needing significant vehicle console surface area to secure it.
Due to these issues, it is difficult and cumbersome for business travelers and vacationers, especially airline travelers either forgetting or attempting to minimize packing space, to use the phone car mounts that are currently available. Vacationers and business travelers frequently use rented or borrowed vehicles for their short-term transportation needs. Most car rental usually offer a GPS navigation option as a separately priced premium upgrade for an additional daily rate. But this GPS upgrade option is often expensive, and is no longer needed by vehicle renters who already possess a smart phone with an installed GPS application. However, to use their smartphone with the GPS application, they must entirely remove their existing phone car mount from their personal vehicle, pack the phone car mount, re-install the phone car mount in the rental car, and then remember to remove it so it can be packed for the return trip. Since many phone car mounts are very difficult to un-install and re-install, or are of a permanent type, they are not ideal for travel purposes or disposable use. Others that succeed in removing and packing the car mount, may forget to remove the car mount from the rental car, resulting in the need to purchase another, often expensive, phone car mount. As a result, there is a need for an improvement over the prior art devices for mounting a mobile device within an automobile or to external surfaces.